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NO, I’m not obsessed with the subject of longevity, even if I do hit 70 this summer (after all, 70 is the new 50, right?!) But this is good stuff from Life Reimagined …

Having a clearly defined the purpose not only makes your life more meaningful, but can extend it as well. This is one of the newest and most exciting trends in health research. Eric Kim, a research fellow at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health studies how aging, positive thinking and physical health are linked. Here are some of his encouraging findings.

Research in psychology has almost exclusively focused on how negative factors lead to worse health. Now, we’re learning that positive psychological factors like optimism, satisfaction and purpose in life appear to have a unique positive impact on health—an impact above and beyond the absence of psychological distress. We also find that positive factors that are beyond an individual’s control—for example, the psychological functioning of your partner—can have an impact on health. Our research suggests that you would be healthier if your partner was more optimistic. Further, the level of cohesion in your neighborhood appears to impact your health and create a healthier lifestyle.

Are meaning and purpose the same?

For hundreds of years philosophers and theologians have been writing about purpose and meaning in life. It is only very recently that scientists have begun examining this topic. In general, meaning looks backward and helps us process and make sense of life events that have happened in the past. In contrast, purpose in life looks forward and helps motivate us into the future through aims, goals and directions.

Is purpose different than optimism? Do you need both?

Purpose is indeed different than optimism. Purpose is a self-organizing life aim that helps people stimulate and organize goals, which in turn helps manage behaviors. Optimism on the other hand is a generalized expectation that good things will happen. I don’t know of any studies that examined whether we need both purpose and optimism in order to have a positive impact on health, but my educated guess is that having both will lead to better health compared to having only one or the other.

What does your research reveal about the health benefits of having purpose?

I have had the good fortune of leading studies on purpose in life with a number of experts in different fields. In a nutshell, we found that higher purpose in life was longitudinally associated with a reduced risk of stroke, myocardial infarction and sleep disturbances. We also found that purpose in life was associated with an increased likelihood of obtaining several preventive screenings, including cholesterol tests, colonoscopies, mammograms, pap smears, prostate exams and flu shots. Further, purpose in life was associated with fewer overall doctor visits and fewer overnight hospitalizations. In all of these studies, we found that these associations between purpose and health persisted in several statistical models that adjusted for plausible confounders.

Can having purpose make anybody healthier?

We are tackling the question of whether the health benefits of purpose cross all socioeconomic lines. The preliminary answer appears to be yes. This study is not yet published, but we have found the association between purpose and a healthy life persists across levels of wealth and education. We also plan to see if the health benefits of purpose persist across racial/ethnic lines.

Are there any projections on how much the health care industry could save if everyone lived more purposefully?

This is difficult for me to calculate, however here are some results from our study, conducted in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults over the age of 50. Compared to people with the lowest purpose, people with the highest purpose make 32% fewer doctor visits and spend 61% fewer overnights in the hospital. Further, compared to people with the lowest purpose, people with the highest purpose are 121% more likely to obtain flu shots, 228% more likely to obtain cholesterol tests, and 133% more likely to obtain colonoscopies. Women are 330% more likely to obtain a mammogram and 210% more likely to receive a pap smear, while men are 386% more likely to receive a prostate exam. Each hospital stay for an adult aged 65-84 costs approximately $12,300. Physician visits average $218 per visit.

What’s the future of research on purpose and its relationship to wellness?

There is rapidly growing interest in this topic. Religion and philosophy have explored this topic for several centuries, but recently scientists, healthcare, and even the world of business is realizing how important purpose is. Also, there is an interesting concept called Blue Zones, places where people seem to live longer. People in these zones have some things in common including an active lifestyle, healthy diet and a sense of purpose. Okinawa Japan is a Blue Zone where they have a term called “ikigai,” which translates into “a reason for which you wake up in the morning.” This reason for living isn’t always large and grand in scope—although it is sometimes. For example, some people say their “ikigai” is tending a vegetable garden that helps feed his/her children and grandchildren. More research has to be done on these Blue Zones, but it’s a fascinating concept.

Some of us are working on maintaining our own Blue Zones. My Life Purpose is “to encourage others to their full potential”. My Life Goal is “to know and love my great-grandchildren”. Can you connect them? I can! That means these kiddos children!!

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Answer: Eat. Sleep. Hydrate. Exercise.

About 20 percent of the calories we consume are utilized by the brain. Besides the constant need for energy, our complex neural systems require a vast amount of nutrients to keep them churning full speed ahead. This is especially true as we age and are more susceptible to cognitive decline.

Asides from vitamin B12 and iron, there is a plethora of antioxidants and other micronutrients that help the brain function at peak levels. These nutrients are sorely missing from processed foods. If you want to keep your brain healthy and happy, make sure to eat real foods.

Here are some tips to help your brain be at its best.

Get moving: physical exercise is not only important for your body’s health; it also helps your brain stay sharp.

Get enough sleep. This not only ensures you are thinking clearly, it lessens the chance of you eating junk food.

Drink enough water.Lack of water to the brain can cause numerous symptoms including problems with focus, memory, brain fatigue and brain fog, as well as headaches, sleep issues, anger, and depression.

Get your vitamin D, essential for proper brain functioning, either from the sun, mushrooms, fish oil, or supplements.

Reduce your consumption of sugars and refined carbs. Although the brain is partially responsible for the addiction we have to sugars, in this age of plenty, most people overdose and damage their brain’s health.

Avoid inflammatory fats and focus on good fats from avocado, fish, nuts, and seeds.

Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Each color represents a different set of antioxidants. Berries, especially, are very high in antioxidants.

Eat an abundance of berries: the polyphenol compounds in the fruits activate the brain’s natural “housekeeping” mechanism, clearing out stored toxins.

Add spices to your life. Fresh or dried, many spices and herbs have very high antioxidant values.

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This is a guest post by by Ann Caldwell, nutritionist and registered dietitian at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Nutrition and bone, muscle and joint health are closely related. A healthy diet can help prevent and manage osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal disorders by assisting in the production and maintenance of bone. If you are not getting the right nutrients you are putting yourself at greater risk for bone, muscle and joint disease.

Osteoporosis is called the silent disease because many people do not know they have it until they suffer a fracture. Ninety percent of adult bone mass is in place by the end of adolescence. Studies show if you are over 50, one out of every two women and up to one in four men will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

The following nutrients, and the foods that contain them, hold particular promise in promoting optimal bone health:

Calcium is a mineral essential for both building bones and keeping them healthy. Unfortunately the majority of Americans are not getting enough. Ideal food sources include milk, and enriched milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, cheese and yogurt. Other sources include bok choy, kale, turnip greens, almonds, white beans, tofu and fortified orange juice. The recommended daily allowance for adults over 50 is 1200 mg per day.

Vitamin D also is important for bone health, as it promotes calcium absorption. There are a few sources of vitamin D in food, such as fatty fish, cheese, egg yolk, fortified milk, milk products, orange juice and cereals. Vitamin D can also be obtained through sunlight, but with the use of sunscreen this is not adequate. The best advice is to always get as much vitamin D from the diet, but supplementation is often required. The current RDA is 400 IU’s, but if you are deficient the dose can be much higher.

Other nutrients have been linked with bone health, including vitamins C and K and magnesium. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may protect bones as these are rich in antioxidants—including watermelon, tomatoes, pink grapefruit, bell peppers and guava.

Eating habits with a moderate intake of protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains leads to a healthier lifestyle.

High levels of protein, caffeine, sodas and sodium have been linked to calcium loss. Many Americans consume too much protein, which can increase the urinary excretion of calcium. Yet at older ages protein intake is often too low and this can lead to bone loss and fractures. It is important to have a balance. We should aim to have not too much but enough, which can be said for all nutrients.

Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and physical activity are key to prevent bone disease. Physical activity should combine weight-bearing activity, simply to carry the weight of your skeleton, such as walking. Strength training is helps improve the muscles that support your skeleton and exercise improves your balance to help prevent falls.

Taking charge of nutritional health and exercise will help promote healthy bones as you age.

Over the first 10 years of using Juice Plus+ products, Jenny had her bone density measured several times and was told she had the bones of a young woman, 20+ years younger. Now, after more than 22 years on Juice Plus+, she is even younger!

The results we have seen in Jenny and in many others (including some dramatic reversals of osteoporosis) come from the combination of powerful, plant-based macronutrients (carbs, protein and fiber) in our Juice Plus+ Complete powdered drink mix, and the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and enzymes) in both the Complete and the Juice Plus+ capsules (fruits, veggies and berries).

Of course, a major contributor has also been the improved diets and lifestyles that result from, and are part of, the Juice Plus+ Experience.

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Continuing on the subject of brain health – pretty important as we age…

If you want to protect your mind, be mindful of what you eat. Doctors say that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean meats that includes a little wine can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers have aptly named their diet the “MIND diet” — it is a hybrid of the Mediterranean dietand the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.

In a decade-long study of about 1,000 people, those who followed this diet reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 53 percent, compared with people who did not follow it, according to the researchers. Even the people who only casually followed the diet had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, the researchers added.

The results appear online this month in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, affects more than 40 million people globally, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International. Among developed nations, the prevalence rates tend to be highest in North America and northern Europe and lowest in Asia and the Mediterranean region.

Doctors believe that Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a mix of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Previous studies have found that Alzheimer’s disease is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

A study published in the journal Neurology in 2011 found that people with diabetes were at least twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, compared with people who don’t have diabetes. In fact, researchers at Brown University have called Alzheimer’s disease “Type 3 diabetes,” given its connection to high blood-sugar levels and insulin resistance, hallmarks of Type 2 diabetes.

Alzheimer’s disease rates are relatively low in Japan and in Italy, leading researchers to further ponder the connection between diet and loss of cognitive function among the elderly. In 2013, researchers in China found that the Japanese and Mediterranean diets may offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease. These diets share an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, beans and fish, and include little red meat.

The latest study, conducted by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, looked at the effects of a hybrid Mediterranean and DASH diet, the latter developed specifically to improve heart health. The study enlisted 923 participants, ages 58 to 98 years, and followed them for upward of 10 years.

Lead author Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush, said her group focused on this mix of two well-known healthy diets because it would be easy for Americans to follow.

The Mediterranean diet, for example, calls for much more fish consumption. “We devised a diet and it worked in this Chicago study,” Morris said. “The results need to be confirmed by other investigators in different populations and also through randomized trials.”

Even those participants who didn’t follow the diet perfectly had a 35 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The longer and more consistently a person follows the MIND diet, the less risk that person will have of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Morris added. “People who eat this diet consistently over the years get the best protection,” she said. “You’ll be healthier if you’ve been doing the right thing for a long time.”

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Just two daily servings containing vital nutrients is enough to reduce brain age by 11 years.

Eating green leafy vegetables and other brightly coloured fruits and vegetables could reduce brain age by as much as eleven years, a new study finds.

Vitamin K in foods like mustard greens, spinach, kale and collards have been linked to slower cognitive decline for the first time.

Professor Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist who led the research, said:

“Losing one’s memory or cognitive abilities is one of the biggest fears for people as they get older. Since declining cognitive ability is central to Alzheimer’s disease and dementias, increasing consumption of green leafy vegetables could offer a very simple, affordable and non-invasive way of potentially protecting your brain from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.”

The study followed 954 older adults with an average age of 81 over around five years.

They found that people who ate just two servings per day of leafy vegetables had better cognitive powers than those who ate none.

The difference was equivalent to having a brain fully 11 years younger.

The nutrients most likely responsible for the boost, the researchers found, were vitamin K, folate, beta-carotene and lutein.

Professor Morris said:

“Our study identified some very novel associations. No other studies have looked at vitamin K in relation to change in cognitive abilities over time, and only a limited number of studies have found some association with lutein.”

Reduce brain age

Other good sources of vitamin K, folate, beta-carotene and lutein which may reduce brain age include brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.

Professor Morris concluded:

“With baby boomers approaching old age, there is huge public demand for lifestyle behaviors that can ward off loss of memory and other cognitive abilities with age.

Our study provides evidence that eating green leafy vegetables and other foods rich in vitamin K, lutein and beta-carotene can help to keep the brain healthy to preserve functioning.”

For 22 years our family has been loading up on fruits and vegetables (with the vitamin K, folate, beta-carotene and lutein identified in this article) through daily use of Juice Plus+. That’s one more reason we sleep well at night, and – as a first year baby boomer, born in 1946 – I wake up and go to sleep with a young brain!

Interestingly, levels of folate, beta-caroten and lutein have been shown to increase significantly in numerous clinical studies of Juice Plus+ over the past 20 years.

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As we age, many of us have a fatal flaw that can lead to a fatal fall — we lose our balance, stability and coordination.

What if you could prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s without a pill, without major surgery and in just a few minutes a day? Stephen Jepson — artist, athlete, inventor and entrepreneur — says he has a simple prescription that could change the lives of millions. And all it takes is an open mind and a willingness to play.

Stephen Jepson says he can change that for everyone. And as a bonus, he believes it can help you build brain cells, develop neural pathways and prevent or delay Alzheimer’s and dementia.

What is his prescription? Play!

Stephen believes the key to never losing your balance — or your mind — is in the games and activities of our youth.

Jepson has built a backyard playground where he tests out his theories, walking on tightropes, balancing on boards while barefoot, throwing knives and juggling. In his 70s, Jepson says that since he started training, he has never fallen, his memory has gotten much sharper and he’s a happier, healthier man.

Falls can be deadly as we get older, and are one of the main reasons that people lose their independence. When we lose our balance and coordination, it can be nearly impossible to get them back. So Jepson says that his program is the key — especially because it’s never too late to start.

“It makes your memory better, it makes you feel just absolutely juiced and jazzed and revitalized,” Jepson tells Growing Bolder. “You can do it at any moment in time.”

Jepson is one of the world’s most renowned potters, and his work has been featured in the Smithsonian Museum. He’s also the founder of the World Pottery Institute. In addition to his art, Jepson is a prolific inventor.

Watch the video that is capturing the imaginations of people across the world. Wait until you see his incredible playground!

A former college arts professor, whose work is in the Smithsonian, is the unlikely ringleader behind a brain health philosophy that is gaining support from big brains across the country.

He may have discovered the closest thing to the fountain of youth … and it involves playing.

Stephen Jepson says the secrets to staying vibrant and strong are hidden in the activities that we used to do as children. The 72-year-old’s program, Never Leave the Playground, is showing people it’s never too late to improve their balance, energy and health. He believes his activities just may ward off brain diseases, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s, and can prevent one of the most serious threats to older people — falls.

Stephen explains the kinds of exercises in his program and how the beginning activities are so simple but fun. He says you’ll never grimace doing his activities.

Plus, find out why he doesn’t use the word exercise and why he believes you don’t need to spend any money on expensive gym memberships or supplements to get healthy.

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They’re either optimistic or delusional, but 89% of older adults and 84% of younger adults say they’re confident they can maintain a high quality of life throughout their senior years.

The reasons vary, but support of friends and family is at the top, followed by being happy about their living situation, being well-prepared financially, being in good health and generally being optimistic, according to a phone survey of more than 2,000 adults, half of whom are 60 and older and the other half ages 18-59.

However, the voices of the older group are tinged with regret, knowing that getting older offers fewer opportunities for “do-overs” to course-correct their lives.

What’s really surprising is that, in this survey, most regrets were from decades past, often occurring when people were in their 30s and 40s.

So you “young ‘uns” pay attention!

Findings from a new nationally representative survey in USA TODAY, suggest that while some do have regrets, many older adults also have some lessons to offer those who are younger — and aging, as well.

So you “young ‘uns” pay attention!

When asked about a preselected list of steps they wish they had taken “to plan and prepare for your senior years,” the most-cited responses illustrate just how regret also plays a role in getting older. Among them are:

saving more money

making better investments

taking better care of health

staying closer with family

“When we get older, people do a life review. They begin to think ‘I shoulda done this or saved more money or spent more time with the kids.’ At some point, you get to the realization that we’re not going to live forever,” says Louis Primavera, a psychologist at the private, New York City-based Touro College.

The survey, a joint effort by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the National Council on Aging, United Healthcare and USA TODAY, included responses from 1,000 adults 60 and older and a comparison group of 1,027, ages 18-59. Of the older group, two-thirds were 60-74.

The legions of older Americans are growing across the USA, according to a report from the U.S Census Bureau released in May, which shows the 65-and-older population is projected to reach 83.7 million by 2050 — almost double the 2012 level of 43.1 million. With such numbers, regrets about “saving more” or “staying closer with my family” can shape the quality of life in later years. So, for those now in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s, they can get a glimpse of what lies ahead.

So you “young ‘uns” pay attention! (Am I repeating myself?)

USA TODAY took the pulse of Americans 60 and older on their health, quality of life, financial situation and whether their communities are prepared to serve an aging population.

“The No. 1 thing people are looking for today is really peace of mind,” says financial adviser Susan Acker of Merrill Lynch in Pittsford, N.Y. “The goal of saving more money is to reach peace of mind.”

Carsten Wrosch, a psychology professor at Concordia University in Montreal who has been collecting life regret data since 2003 among those ages 20-40 and 60-plus, has found that life regrets center around work, education and relationships. “But what’s really surprising”, he says, “is that most regrets were from decades past, often occurring when people were in their 30s and 40s.”

“We often hear one of the biggest regrets they have is that they weren’t closer with their family,” says Donna Butts, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based non-profit Generations United, but now “we’re seeing that change as the generations change.”

Wrosch says regret can become a health problem if people have no chance to repair the harm or right a wrong. “People start ruminating. They become depressed. They experience associated biological problems,” he says. “Ultimately, it makes them more vulnerable to disease.”

“Letting go actually really helps,” Wrosch says. “Let go of those regrets and find something else in life that is meaningful and can provide purposeful living.”

Former first lady Laura Bush talked about aging with USA TODAY reporter Sharon Jayson at the Dallas conference for the National Association of Areas Agencies on Aging.

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The silent killer – high blood pressure – is at epidemic levels across the country. Preventable and reversible, high blood pressure — the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease — can be effectively controlled through medication. But what you eat and drink matters, too, and may control it just as well.

There are no warning signs or symptoms of high blood pressure, making regular testing a requirement for healthy living.

“High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney disease and heart failure,” said Dr. Malissa Wood, co-director of the Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. “Currently, 77.9 million (1 out of every 3) adults have high blood pressure in the United States, and the estimated direct and indirect cost of high blood pressure in 2009 was $51 billion.

“Given that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans and it is highly preventable, we need to focus more on diet – both in maintaining or achieving a healthy weight as well as following a DASH-type diet to stay healthy. DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. This includes lots of whole grain products, fish, poultry and nuts. It is rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium, as well as protein and fiber and limits sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day ideally. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, decreasing the average intake of sodium from 3,300 mg to 2,300 mg per day may reduce cases of high blood pressure by 11 million,” Wood said.

“Consuming less sodium is one way to help reduce blood pressure, but it’s not our only option,” said Dr. Rani Whitfield, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association national volunteer spokeswoman. “Foods that are rich in potassium like bananas, sweet potatoes, broccoli, lima beans and peas are heart-healthy options that can help get blood pressure under control,” said the family practitioner from Baton Rouge, La.

Researchers believe that potassium counteracts the effects of sodium and reduces blood pressure. “A recent study also suggests that foods high in nitrates like beets can be helpful in lowering blood pressure”, Whitfield said. “Nitrates open the blood vessels, reducing the blood pressure and increasing blood flow.”

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables like the DASH diet can help control blood pressure and may help prevent high blood pressure. This benefit may be partially derived from the calcium in fresh fruits and vegetables, said Wood.

The American Heart Association recommends eating eight or more fruit and vegetable servings every day. An average adult consuming 2,000 calories daily should aim for 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. Also, variety matters, so try a wide range of fruits and veggies.

In her “The Heart of the Matter” video (below), Dr. Tamara Sachs (Internal Medicine) discusses her professional experience with heart disease. She says:

“Health is more than the absence of disease: it is a balance between wellness and the many stressors in your life. The more active a participant you are in this dynamic process, the healthier a person you will become.”

“Knowing what you need to do and actually doing it are two different things. Juice Plus+ is a perfect example. Knowing that we should eat more fruits and vegetables is one thing, but actually doing it is quite another. That’s why I recommend Juice Plus+ to all of my patients. It is a powerful and compelling product for those who wish to protect their health. I would never want to be without it. It is my foundational product for my patients, and I rely on it for my health as well.”

In no less than 6 clinical studies Juice Plus+ was shown to significantly improve markers of heart health, including reduction in homocysteine, systemic inflammation and the negative effects of ahigh fat meal(watch the video!) Read more on this here and watch a Internal Medicince specialist, Dr. Tamara Sachs below:

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This article in Parade Magazine (Dec. 28, 2013) both humbled me and inspired me. So much so that I am serializing her lessons here in my blog. This is the last one.

Ninety-four-year-old Olga Kotelko, a retired schoolteacher from West Vancouver, Canada, could be the poster child for late bloomers. Seventeen years ago, at 77, she entered her first “masters” track and field competition, for participants age 35 and over. At 85, she knocked off nearly 20 world records in a single year. Today, she is the only woman in the world over 90 still long-jumping and high-jumping competitively.

Now for the final of six smart habits of super agers. Here Olga’s Lesson #5.

Lesson #6: Lighten Up

People get stressed out over the smallest things,” Olga says. The fact that she doesn’t is as much a matter of choice as temperament. “Honestly, I don’t have the time.”

Not long ago, at an Illinois airport, as Olga moved toward security, other passengers ­began removing their shoes. But Olga didn’t. A sign said that you didn’t have to if you were over 75.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” a security agent asked Olga. “How old are you?”

“Ninety-three,” she replied.

The agent gaped at her. “You’re joking,” she said.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. You’re … how old?”

“Ninety-three.”

“What’s your secret?” she ­finally asked.

“Enjoy life!” Olga replied.

The agent nodded as a grin infiltrated her face. Then she turned to her supervisor, somewhere behind the barrier, and announced, “I quit!”